Transport Groups Warn Ride-Hailing Apps Are Pressuring Jamaican Operators

Two Jamaican transport organisations say their members are under pressure as ride-hailing services expand across the island. The concern was discussed last evening during an online session arranged by Transport Operators Development Sustainable Services (TODSS).

Simon Lawrence, president of the Jamaica Union of Travellers Association (JUTA) in Montego Bay, joined the meeting as a guest and argued that drivers working with ride-hailing platforms are not held to the same strict regulatory standards as traditional transport groups. He urged the authorities to step in, saying operators' income must be protected.

Horace Taylor, who heads the Maxi Tours Association, called ride-hailing services “a cancer” hurting his membership. He said competition can be healthy, but suggested that money earned by ride-hailing companies is leaving Jamaica and damaging the national economy.